In new building construction, plumbers prefer not to install finished closure valves in the bottom of bathtubs, or install finished decorative plate over an overflow outlet of the bathtub until the project is finished because these elements will be often damaged during construction. Further, the plumbing for all outlets needs to be checked for leaks which involves filling a vent for the drain until the water level in the plumbing rises above the bathtub so that the inspector can determine whether any of the plumbing leaks. The bottom drain of the bathtub is plugged and some sort of seal plate is used to block the outlet port during testing.
Existing overflow plates have a center opening. There are either two or four small screw holes in the plate adjacent the center opening wherein two of the holes are used to secure the plate to the plumbing fixture. In some cases, a fitting is used so that the screw hole is located directly in the middle of the access hole that becomes an obstacle during testing. The testing procedure usually involves placing a balloon through the large center opening into a drain pipe located in the wall. The pipe is sealed when the balloon is inflated.
A more recent version of an overflow assembly is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,241 to Ball (“Ball”), which is incorporated by reference herein. Ball discloses a flexible diaphragm that is imposed over an overflow drain pipe. A cap is also provided that allows fluid to flow into the overflow pipe. The diaphragm seals the overflow pipe when the system is being tested for leaks. Following the test, the diaphragm is cut or slashed to open the overflow port to allow fluid flow. While this device serves the intended function, it is expensive to make and cumbersome to assemble.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a method and a means for an overflow assembly for bathtubs and the like that will safeguard the overflow system during construction, prepare the overflow system for testing, and facilitate the final installation of bathtub hardware.
A further object of the invention is to facilitate the testing procedure of the overflow system before final installation has taken place, and to permit the assembly of parts without the use of screws, screw holes, and the like.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an overflow fitting that allows a user to install the overflow fitting without using solvent cement.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.